Giant Red Bull Ant
Myrmecia gulosa
Subfamily: Myrmeciinae
Family: Formicidae
Order: Hymenoptera
This is the largest of the Bull Ants in Australia. The family Myrmeciinae was once found worldwide but is now restricted to Australia and New Caledonia.
This subfamily possess gamergates: female ants which are able to mate and reproduce, giving the colony insurance against the loss of a queen.
In this photo, the ant is carrying what appears to be 'trash' from the nest. It looks like the remains of food and prey insects which have accumulated in the nest. Maybe the white part at the end is fungus? The ants seemed unsure what was supposed to be done with this 'trash' and they spent at least half an hour, repeatedly removing it from the nest and then returning it a few minutes later!
The photo shows the composition of the nest. It is made from sand, leaves, small sticks and pebbles which seems to have been cemented together.
This particular nest was a large one with a diameter of about 500mm and a height above ground of about 300mm. There was a great deal of ant activity around the nest.
DSC04376
Giant Red Bull Ant
Myrmecia gulosa
Subfamily: Myrmeciinae
Family: Formicidae
Order: Hymenoptera
This is the largest of the Bull Ants in Australia. The family Myrmeciinae was once found worldwide but is now restricted to Australia and New Caledonia.
This subfamily possess gamergates: female ants which are able to mate and reproduce, giving the colony insurance against the loss of a queen.
In this photo, the ant is carrying what appears to be 'trash' from the nest. It looks like the remains of food and prey insects which have accumulated in the nest. Maybe the white part at the end is fungus? The ants seemed unsure what was supposed to be done with this 'trash' and they spent at least half an hour, repeatedly removing it from the nest and then returning it a few minutes later!
The photo shows the composition of the nest. It is made from sand, leaves, small sticks and pebbles which seems to have been cemented together.
This particular nest was a large one with a diameter of about 500mm and a height above ground of about 300mm. There was a great deal of ant activity around the nest.
DSC04376